Technology has been pivotal to the success of most small business owners. Many wouldn’t be where they are today if not for advances such as the Internet, mobile devices, and the ability to conduct commerce. While grateful for these opportunities, many successful professionals — and their families — have come to resent technology.

Technology has been pivotal to the success of most small business owners. Many wouldn’t be where they are today if not for advances such as the Internet, mobile devices, and the ability to conduct commerce. While grateful for these opportunities, many successful professionals — and their families — have come to resent technology.Read More…

You may have heard the buzz about the project management and collaboration product, Trello. Created by Fog creek Software, this hosted tool can assist anyone with getting and staying organized — whether you’re a solopreneur launching a new initiative or you’ve been running an established business with an array of remote employees. Trello can help you manage a single project, juggle multiple workflows, or, keep a handle on both personal and professional interests.

You may have heard the buzz about the project management and collaboration product, Trello. Created by Fog creek Software, this hosted tool can assist anyone with getting and staying organized — whether you’re a solopreneur launching a new initiative or you’ve been running an established business with an array of remote employees. Trello can help you manage a single project, juggle multiple workflows, or, keep a handle on both personal and professional interests.Read More…

Living in a remote section of Northern Maine, Jennifer Spokes is an active online consumer.
“I’ll get online before I’ll take the 40 minute drive to the nearest big city,” says Spokes, who has used the Internet to purchase everything from living room curtains, to a test prep tutor for her teenagers, to a portable dog groomer.
“One thing I’ve come to depend on are visual aids. If I can see the product, hear from the owners, I feel more comfortable,” says Spokes.
If you’re a microbusiness owner selling goods or services online, you probably know that using video can build your brand and greatly expand your reach. But like any marketing effort, your approach can make or break your success. Today’s technology and the popularity of YouTube and Vimeo make video production look easy, but there’s a lot of planning required before you let the camera roll.

Living in a remote section of Northern Maine, Jennifer Spokes is an active online consumer.
“I’ll get online before I’ll take the 40 minute drive to the nearest big city,” says Spokes, who has used the Internet to purchase everything from living room curtains, to a test prep tutor for her teenagers, to a portable dog groomer.
“One thing I’ve come to depend on are visual aids. If I can see the product, hear from the owners, I feel more comfortable,” says Spokes.
If you’re a microbusiness owner selling goods or services online, you probably know that using video can build your brand and greatly expand your reach. But like any marketing effort, your approach can make or break your success. Today’s technology and the popularity of YouTube and Vimeo make video production look easy, but there’s a lot of planning required before you let the camera roll.Read More…

If you’re a freelancer or entrepreneur that is active on social media, and would like to know exactly where you stand, check out your Klout score. It's a quality ranking tool that will display your place in the world of social media.
Are you reaching your audience, having conversations, and sharing information that pushes them to action? How influential is your business across your various social media accounts? With Klout you can analyze how well you are reaching your audience on social media and use it to improve your results.

If you’re a freelancer or entrepreneur that is active on social media, and would like to know exactly where you stand, check out your Klout score. It's a quality ranking tool that will display your place in the world of social media.
Are you reaching your audience, having conversations, and sharing information that pushes them to action? How influential is your business across your various social media accounts? With Klout you can analyze how well you are reaching your audience on social media and use it to improve your results.Read More…

Since its creation in 2007, YouTube has skyrocketed in popularity, claiming the spot as the world’s second most popular website and boasting over one million unique visitors each month. Its audience is people in search of videos: informational, humorous, educational, how-to, newsworthy, musical, artsy – you name it, it’s out there. As a small business owner, you can’t afford not to be trying to catch the attention of this huge pool of visitors.
Every business can benefit by creating a video – whether you’re selling a service or a product, you have one employee or twenty, or you’ve had your shingle up for a year or a decade. It’s easy to release your videos on YouTube. You can also link to them on your website, or distribute them with a traditional DVD.
Here are 5 ideas for using video to promote your business.

Since its creation in 2007, YouTube has skyrocketed in popularity, claiming the spot as the world’s second most popular website and boasting over one million unique visitors each month. Its audience is people in search of videos: informational, humorous, educational, how-to, newsworthy, musical, artsy – you name it, it’s out there. As a small business owner, you can’t afford not to be trying to catch the attention of this huge pool of visitors.
Every business can benefit by creating a video – whether you’re selling a service or a product, you have one employee or twenty, or you’ve had your shingle up for a year or a decade. It’s easy to release your videos on YouTube. You can also link to them on your website, or distribute them with a traditional DVD.
Here are 5 ideas for using video to promote your business.Read More…

One of the great benefits of social media is the ability to reach a large audience at little cost. Using the popular hashtag notation, you can spread your brand, take advantage of popular trends, and get your message out.
Hashtags are a great way to promote your business. Learn how hashtags work, as well as how to use popular tools to assist you with reaching your audience through social media.

One of the great benefits of social media is the ability to reach a large audience at little cost. Using the popular hashtag notation, you can spread your brand, take advantage of popular trends, and get your message out.
Hashtags are a great way to promote your business. Learn how hashtags work, as well as how to use popular tools to assist you with reaching your audience through social media.Read More…